Ice cube making and dispensing device



july V, w57 W. E.. WILSON 3,330J2 ICE CUBE MAKING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed May ll, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. @Mmmm /wi x df w/ W. E. WLSON ICE CUBE MAKING AND DISPENSING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2l Filed May 11, 1966 X INVENTORL Mmm/w www United States Patent Ofice 3,330,128 Patented July 11, 1967 3,330,128 ICE CUBE MAKING AND DISPENSING DEVICE William E. Wilson, Detroit, Mich., assigner to American Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Maryland Filed May 11, 1966, Ser. No. 549,398 8 Claims. (Cl. 62-137) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic ice cube maker having a deformable tray rotatable about an arcuate stationary axis. The tray is held stationary from fill through the ice forming cycle. A thermal responsive control activates the harvest cycle. A hydraulic motor rotates the tray to the convex side of the arcuate axis causing the pockets to expand and drop out the ice cubes. The tray is mechanically returned to fill position and the water discharged from the motor being directed to filling the tray.

This invention relates to ice cube makers and dispensers in general, and more particularly to a flexible ice cube tray and means for automatically dispensing ice cubes made in the tray.

Flexible ice cube trays are generally known and are sold commercially for use in household refrigerators. Normal use requires that they be manually filled with water and set on a shelf in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. When ice cubes are needed, the tray` is turned over and gently flexed to break the ice cubes free.

This invention makes use of such trays but includes' means for both filling and flexing the trays automatically. In particular, this invention makes use of an arcuate rod on which a flexible tray is rotatably supported so that' when the tray is turned on the rod to an inverted position it is flexed to release the ice cubes.

These and other objects and advantages to be gained in the practice of this invention will be best appreciated upon a reading of the following specification having reference to the accompanying drawings and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of part of a freezer compartment, in a household refrigerator, with the device of this invention for making and dispensing ice cubes shown as mounted for use therewith.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged detail View of part of the controls of the ice cube maker and dispenser shown in the first drawing figure and as seen in the plane of line 2-2 therein.

FIGURE 3 is a schematic illustration of part of the control circuit for the ice cube maker and dispenser of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged longitudinal cross sectioned view of the flexible tray member as mounted for use.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse cross sectional view of the tray of the-last mentioned drawing figure as seen in the plane of line S-5 thereon.

FIGURE 6 is similar to FIGURE 4 with the tray shown in its inverted and flexible position for dispensing ice cubes.

FIGURE 7 is a top plane view of the flexible ice cube tray of this invention as mounted for use.

Referring noW to the drawings in still greater detail;

A refrigerator 10 is shown with a freezer compartment 12 formed by insulated top, back and side walls 14, 16 and 18 respectively. It also includes a door 20 for closing the freezer compartment space 12.

Within the freezer compartment 12 is disposed a flexible ice cube tray 22. It is rotatably supported on a rod 24 and is formed to extend through a back wall opening 26 where there is provided operating mechanism 28 later described.

An ice bucket 30 is provided in the freezer compartment 12 under Ithe ice cube tray 22 to receive ice cubes dispensed therefrom.

Referring to FIGURES 4-7:

The flexible ice cube tray 22 is made of suitable plastic or like material to withstand the freezing temperatures in the compartment space 12 and still have reasonable flexibility for its intended purpose. The tray is formed to include a center dividing wall 32 and suitable pocket areas 34 with truncated side walls 36 within which ice cubes are formed. The tray member also has lateral side walls 38 and includes a filler passage 40 through the extended end 42 of the tray suitably mounted within a bearing 44, in the opening 26 through the back wall 16 of the freezer compartment space. Y

The rod 24, on which the flexible ice cube tray 22 is mounted, is arcuate in shape and is received within a center dividing wall 32 of the tray member and with the tray rotatably supported thereon. The rod is Isecured to a support 46 secured to the top wall 14 of the freezer compartment 12, near one of the side walls, and extends into the freezer compartment space and towards the back wall thereof. It is hollow, as -at 48, at its forward'end,

and has a thermal responsive sensing control member 50 disposed therein.

Referring to FIGURES 1-3:

The operating mechanism 28 is connected to the part of the flexible ice cube tray 22 extending through the back wall of the freezer compartment space and includes a piston chamber member 52. Fluid passage means 54 are connected to the piston chamber member 52 and to a source of water under pressure, which may be a normal household connection, and has a solenoid control valve 56 provided in the line. A free flow passage member 58 is connected to the passage member 54 between the solenoid operated valve 56 and the piston chamber member 52 and includes a solenoid control valve 60, of its own, therein. It is connected, in turn, by a fitting 59 to the end of the tray and for fluid flow into passage 40 of the tray member.

The piston chamber member 52 is formed to provide a chamber area 62 receptive of a measured amount of water. A piston member 64 is mounted therein and is backed by a return spring 66. The piston 64 yields to water under pressure received in lthe chamber area 62 and the return spring 66 is subsequently operative of the piston to move the measured amount of water from the chamber area.

The piston rod 68 connected to the piston member 64 is formed to include rack teeth 70 and is operatively engaged to a pinion gear 72 provided on the extended end of the ice cube tray. It includes a sprag clutch or other means (not shown) making it operative in only one direction, for reasons later appreciated.

A support bracket 74 is provided to include a guide roller 76 for holding the rack of piston rod 68 in engagement v with the pinion gear. It also supports a switch box 78 which includes an operative arm 80 for engagement with a pin 82 on the piston rod and suitable spring means 84 to keep it in continuous engagement with the pin.

The ice bucket 30is pivot'ably supported as at 86 in the freezer compartment 12 and is normally disposed in a substantially horizontal poistion by such as the spring means 88. A control switch is mounted on the back Wall 16 of the freezer compartment and is engaged to the ice cube bucket 30. Its purpose is to indicate when the ice cube bucket is full or has been removed from the freezer compartment 12.

The operating sequence for the apparatus disclosed is as follows:

. Y 3 When the solenoid valve 56 in the nid passage line 54 is opened, water under pressure fills the chamber area space 62 in the piston chamber member and lifts the piston 64 against the resistance to the biasing spring 66. The rack and pinion connection between the piston rod 68 and the gear 72 on the ice cube tray extension 42 causes Vthe tray to rotate a full revolution as this happens.

When the 'exible ice cube tray 22 is rotated on the arcu- Y ate rod 24 from the position shown in FIGURE 4 to the Yinverted position shown in lFIGURE 6, the tray is sufliciently flexed to enlarge the pocket area 34, as indicated by symbols x and x+, and break loose ice cubes formed in the tray pockets and cause them to drop into the ice bucket. n

The stroke of the piston rod 68 assures one complete revolution Vof the ice cube tray 22 and its return to a substantially horizontal position. It also actuates the Y Vswitch arm 80 when the tray has returned to a receptive position for being lled with water, once more. This in turn closes Ithe* circuit to the solenoid valve 56, closing it, and to the solenoid valve 60, to canse it to open. The water to the chamber area 62 is closed oif and the pressure acting against the piston 64 is relieved. The sp1-ing 66 then acts to return the piston and move the measured amount of water from the chamber area 62 through the free flow passage 58 into the passage 40 and to ll the ice cube tray 22.

When the water in the tray 22 freezes to form the deI sired ice cubes the thermal responsive sensing control 50 Y closes the circuit to actuate the solenoid control valve S6 and open the passage connection 54 to water under pressure and'to begin the cycling as has been previously de Y scribed.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been .illustrated and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious mod- Y ications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the apd pended claims.

I claim: 1. Apparatus for comprising:

an arcuate rod having a exible ice cube tray rotatably supported thereon and including means of iixed sup port for said rod with said tray thereon inthe freezer compartment of a refrigerator, means for automatically lling said tray with a meas ured amount of water from a supply source, means for rotating said tray on said rod for exing the tray and breaking loose ice cubes formed therein, and means operatively connecting said tray filling and rotating kmeans to preclude the activation fsaid iilling means when said tray is disposed other than in a receptive position for being lled. 2. The ice cube making and dispensing apparatus of claim 1, including:

thermal responsive means operatively mounted between making and dispensing ice cubes and said tray supporting'rod and to said rotating means for automatically activating said rotating means upon the freezing of the water in said tray and the formingy of acceptable ice cubes for use therein. K 3. The ice cube Ymaking and dispensing apparatus of claim 1, Y

said filling means including a chamber area receptive of a measured amount of water and having a passage connection to a supply of water under pressure, and means within said chamber area yielding to water received therein under pressure and for subsequently expelling said water therefrom and to said tray. 4. The ice cube making and dispensing apparatus of claim 1,

said tray rotating means being operatively connected to the means in said chamber area yielding to water removed under pressure for actuation thereof. 5. Apparatus for makin-g and dispensing ice cubes and Y comprising: Y Y Y a flexible ice cube tray and means of rotational support therefor in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator about a longitudinal axis through said tray,

said means of support including an arcuate rodvfor ilexing said tray in the inverted positioning'thereof for breaking loose ice cubes formed in said tray;V

means for lling said tray with a measured amount off water and including a chamber area having a spring loaded piston member yielding to waterl received from a supply source underV pressure and for subsequently exhausting the water from the chamber area under spring load pressure; I and means for rotating said tray on said arcuate rod and including means connected between lsaid spring loaded piston member and said tray and operative only in the yielding movement of the latter.

6. The apparatus of claim 5,

said rotating means including a rack and pinion connection between said tray and piston member with the pinion thereof operative in only one rotational direct-ion.

7. 'I'he apparatus of claim 6 including passage means from said chamber area and formed in part through said tray for supplying Water to said tray for forming ice cubes therein.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 including an ice bucket pivotally disposed below said tray for receiving ice cubes dispensed from said tray and a control switch disposed for circuit opening actuation when said bucket is lled and removed yand a control circuit including in series connection a thermal switch in said rod for sensing the suitable freezing of water in said tray, switch means sensing the water receptive positioning of said tray, solenoid valves operative of water supply to said chamber area and from said chamber area to said tray, and said bucket switch means aforementioned.

References Cited ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner. Y 

1. APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND DISPENSING ICE CUBES AND COMPRISING: AN ARCUATE ROD HAVING A FLEXIBLE ICE CUBE TRAY ROTATABLY SUPPORTED THEREON AND INCLUDING MEANS OF FIXED SUPPORT FOR SAID ROD WITH SAID TRAY THEREON IN THE FREEZER COMPARTMENT OF A REFRIGERATOR, MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY FILLING SAID TRAY WITH A MEASURED AMOUNT OF WATER FROM A SUPPLY SOURCE, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID TRAY ON SAID ROD FOR FLEXING THE TRAY AND BREAKING LOOSE ICE CUBES FORMED THEREIN, AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID TRAY FILLING AND ROTATING MEANS TO PRECLUDE THE ACTIVATION OF SAID FILLING MEANS WHEN SAID TRAY IS DISPOSED OTHER THAN IN A RECEPTIVE POSITION FOR BEING FILLED. 